This Stunning State Park Was Named Minnesota’s Most Underrated

Now that it is getting to be warm again spring fever is in the air. And pretty soon we will all be walking outside in our neighborhoods or in state parks and trails.

According to the DNR, these are the top five State Parks that people visit:

• Gooseberry Falls – 782,125 visitors
• Fort Snelling – 702,351 visitors
• Itasca – 569,835 visitors
• Tettegouche- 564,992 visitors
• Split Rock Lighthouse – 544,327 visitors

But what about the most underrated parks? Minnesota has truly many (about 75) amazing state parks to visit, each offering amazing views.

Outside Magazine recently published an article sharing the most underrated parks in each state and here is the park in Minnesota they feel is most underrated.

Minnesota’s Most Underrated Park:

Cascade River State Park

Outside Magazine shares the following about Cascade River State Park:

This wooded wonderland, 10 miles from the quaint North Shore town of Grand Marais, is home to a series of five magnificent waterfalls, as the mighty Cascade River drops a whopping 900 feet through ancient basalt lava flows in its final three miles. Avid hikers should check out the 3.5-mile Lookout Mountain Loop, with its panoramic views of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. In winter, a groomed cross-country ski trail provides hours of snowy fun.

Wow! I mean with five waterfalls with panoramic views of lake superior, I can’t believe more people don’t visit Cascade.

Explore Minnesota also shares that you can “hike up the hills of birch and spruce forests for scenic overlooks of Lake Superior. 18 miles of hiking trails; 17 miles of cross-country ski trails, connecting to a network of 196 km of North Shore trails.”

Cascade may not attract as many visitors due to the fact that the park’s hours are 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., even though the park is open year-round. You can find out more visitor information about Cascade River here!

So, do you agree? Do you think Cascade is underrated?

All information is credited to exploreminnesota.com, outsideonline.com, and dnr.state.mn.us.